Why dropping Shami and Siraj could cost India ODI series

The BCCI‘s sins of omission and commission continue to baffle cricket observers and hurt the Indian team. The inexplicable choices made during the ongoing ODI series against South Africa are perplexing to say the least. The decision to leave out India’s most experienced fast bowlers Mohammed Siraj and Mohammed Shami from the white ball line up, has reduced the team’s strength and provoked sharp criticism from many quarters.

Their replacements Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana and Prasidh Krishna have not been able to overcome the South African batters. Even when India won the first ODI, the trio were not convincing. Although Rana got three wickets and Arshdeep two, there was a distinct feeling that Shami or Siraj would have been more effective.

It is good to try out newcomers but not at the cost of losing the series. Along with newcomers, there must be at least one experienced bowler to shoulder the burden if things begin to go wrong. In the second ODI, India failed to defend a huge total of 358 due to average bowling by the pacers. The dew factor made bowling tough, but even then, to leak between 7 to 10 runs per over is unforgivable. Prasidh Krishna is no spring chicken. He has played 20 T20I matches but he gave away 85 runs from 8.2 overs.

Now the series is tied at one victory each and it all depends upon the final match which is to be played at Visakhapatnam on 6 December.

Best options in pace bowling

Siraj has been one of the best options in the pace department in both Test and ODI formats. Leaving him out of the team is inviting failure. Shami has been in good form. He recently took 4 wickets for 13 runs in the Syed Mushtaq Ali trophy tournament.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, the former off spinner Harbhajan Singh burst out: “Where is Shami ? Why is he not playing in the squad ? Prasidh Krishna may be a good bowler but he has a lot to learn.” Singh made a few more scathing remarks about BCCI’s selection policies.

Controversial decision

Siraj’s exclusion too is controversial. According to the squad announcement, Siraj (along with Jasprit Bumrah) has been “rested” by the selectors ahead of upcoming commitments. But the question that arises is: should a key bowler be rested when his country needs him most ?

If the series has been won and the next match is inconsequential, then it is okay to rest an important player. But when a keen fight is going on, it is not the right time to give rest to a big player.

The team appears to have opted for a bowling mix prioritising certain roles. Rather than including Siraj, the BCCI chose three specialist seamers and put spinners and all-rounders in the mix. Some voices in the team management think Siraj’s effectiveness in ODIs has decreased, especially when he isn’t bowling with the new ball. That was cited as a factor in earlier exclusions (for example, from the 2025 Champions Trophy squad).

But is that really true ? Many former players and analysts are openly critical of leaving out a strong wicket-taking bowler. Former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra raised the question “When did Siraj become a one-format player ?” Chopra called the exclusion ridiculous given his recent contributions.

Siraj’s ODI performance

As of now, Siraj has played 46 ODI matches and taken 73 wickets. His career ODI bowling average is 24.67 and his best ODI performance is a match winning 6 for 21 in 2023. In January 2023, Siraj was the number one ranked ODI bowler in the world. Among Indian bowlers, his ranking has remained consistently high.

So, on paper, Siraj remains among India’s most effective ODI pacers. He has a good average, strong strike potential, and a history of pulling off match-winning spells. He is in his prime and his stamina and motivation are beyond doubt and unquestionable.

Given Siraj’s record, present form, and past performances, he appears to be among India’s top pace options in ODIs. Any selector in his right mind, looking at raw ability plus current form, should have kept Siraj in the combination – especially as the third seamer or rotation option. His absence along with that of Shami, has robbed team India of a considerable amount of its fire power. We have now given South Africa a chance to win the ODI series too, after their victory in the Test series.